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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Recently the New York Times and Fox News has reported that Obama has a list of American citizens that he wants killed without a trial. Despite what the Constitution says about due process. Those citizens on Obama's list shall be killed upon site without ever going to trial. Including a 17-year old American girl

This was the enemy, served up in the latest chart from the intelligence agencies: 15 Qaeda suspects in Yemen with Western ties. The mug shots and brief biographies resembled a high school yearbook layout. Several were Americans. Two were teenagers, including a girl who looked even younger than her 17 years.

President Obama, overseeing the regular Tuesday counter terrorism meeting of two dozen security officials in the White House Situation Room, took a moment to study the faces. It was Jan. 19, 2010, the end of a first year in office punctuated by terrorist plots and culminating in a brush with catastrophe over Detroit on Christmas Day, a reminder that a successful attack could derail his presidency. Yet he faced adversaries without uniforms, often indistinguishable from the civilians around them.

Can you believe it? American citizens who have not been convicted of a crime, being sought and executed without being afforded that chance of a trial. Whether are not they are terrorists, is not the point rather they are American citizens who should be given due process.

During a CBS 60 Minutes interview on January 29, 2012, the United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta revealed that Obama himself personally approves the policy of killing American citizens suspected of terrorism without trial on a case by case basis. Including 17-year old kids.

The White House has continually asserted it has the right to kill anyone (or what some would call state-sponsored assassinations) anywhere in the world without having to provide any shed of evidence or even go through any legal process. All the President and his administration has to do is merely suggest that the target is a terrorist and it doesn’t matter whether they are an American citizen or not.

Is this George Orwell's 1984? No, it is much worse the anything dreamed up by Orwell. Whose to say that you are I aren't on the list, simply because President Obama doesn't like us?

Can the president legally do this? In a word: No.

The president cannot lawfully order the killing of anyone, except according to the Constitution and federal law. Under the Constitution, he can only order killing using the military when the U.S. has been attacked, or when an attack is so imminent and certain that delay would cost innocent American lives, or in pursuit of a congressional declaration of war. Under federal law, he can only order killing using civilians when a person has been sentenced lawfully to death by a federal court and the jury verdict and the death sentence have been upheld on appeal. If he uses the military to kill, federal law requires public reports of its use to Congress and congressional approval after 180 days.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Tuesday May 29, 2012 in Texas was the primary elections in Texas. However, at least one couple was denied the right to vote, because laws that make it harder to vote and intentional misinformation by election officials, intended to guarantee people in such situations don't get to cast a ballot.

This is not a case of going to the wrong polling place, rather it is acase of having moved and being told we can only vote in one certainlocation and casting what is known as a "Limited Ballot." Then beingtold tough luck that is only during early voting so you can't vote.

In a statement to media

My wife and I recently moved and didn't get our voter registrationchanged before the deadline. During early voting of the city elections (May 12, 2012) we went to Williamson County to vote where we were still registered to vote, but were told that because we had moved to Travis County we need to go to the Travis County Election Office and vote what in Texas is called a limited ballot (basically voting for the offices that are the same in bothlocations). Which we did on May 6, 2012 and was told to come back thistime to do the same. Which we did today (May 29, 2012) and was told we couldn't votebecause "Limited Ballots" were only for early voting.

I have not ever missed an election and do not like having my rightsand liberties denied. I want to make sure everyone knows of this injustice. Where is the media?Where is the outcry? Does anyone care?

The media seems to be turning a blinds eye, with the exception of the NPR affiliate who called the election office and got a statement from them. Their new Travis County registration will be effective June 6, which will allow this couple to vote the states runoff election in June. Little comfort to this couple who were eager to cast their votes in their first ever Presidential Primary. In the past they had voted in Presidential Caucuses in another state, but this was the first time they had been where a Presidential Primary was being held. Texas should be ashamed of themselves, for denying this couples right to vote. In the earlier case they mentioned they were told they could vote a provisional ballot, but that it wouldn't be counted. As for the limited ballot scenario, it seems a little fishy altogether as other states would have you return to the precinct where you are registered to vote, and you cast your vote. Then once voter registration reopens, it would be up to you to make the effort to get your voter registration updated.

---------- My name is Kevin, and that's what I think. What do you think? Agree? Disagree?

Many exhibits of things out of the ordinary. From a fur bearing trout to Bigfoot artifacts to a stuffed and mounted jackalope they can be seen at the Museum of the Weird. Pictures below are just some of the many things on display.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

First, I am not a birther. To me the birthplace of Obama's birth is immaterial. As it does not matter where he was born. He was born an American citizen, by the very fact his mother was an American from Kansas. What does concern me though is that he seems to be trying to cover something up. Just be honest, I hate liars. Here is the latest.

In a major development in his probe of Barack Obama’s eligibility for Arizona’s 2012 presidential ballot, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has dispatched his lead Cold Case Posse investigator and a deputy detective to Hawaii.

The mission to Obama’s purported birthplace comes as the Hawaii Department of Health continues to resist efforts by Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett to verify that the Honolulu agency has a valid birth certificate on file for Obama.- InfoWars.com

Once in Hawaii, the investigators hit more road blocks.

“Hawaii duped Arizona” in its response to Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett’s request to verify Barack Obama’s eligibility for the 2012 election, charges the lead investigator of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Cold Case Posse.

“We have developed incontrovertible proof that the verification provided by the Hawaii Department of Health to Arizona’s secretary of state on May 22 really doesn’t verify anything of significance,” said Mike Zullo, who is in Hawaii to follow up on his team’s initial findings concerning Obama’s birth record.Vision to America

Former Bergen County, N.J., detective Mike Zullo and his volunteer team were commissioned by Arpaio last September to investigate Obama’s eligibility after citizens raised concerns about the authenticity of the birth record the White House posted on its website. Zullo’s team announced March 1 that it found probable cause that the document is a forgery.

Zullo’s investigation is a volunteer effort, but the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office has sent him to Hawaii with an MCSO deputy detective for safety reasons and to act as a liaison between MCSO and local law enforcement.

WND reporter Jerome Corsi is embedded with the investigators in Hawaii with the provision that reporting during the trip be curtailed to protect the investigation.

Arpaio told WND Friday that the Hawaii Department of Health’s refusal to confirm to Bennett that it has a valid Obama birth certificate on file makes it look like Hawaii officials “are hiding something.”

Bennett has said that he might keep Obama’s name off of the state’s presidential ballot if he doesn’t receive the confirmation.- WND

There you have it. What do you think? Should they be more forthright? Do you wonder what they are hiding? Or do you think who cares? Are you okay with being lied to? I want to know what you think. Time to sound off, by commenting.

---------- My name is Kevin, and that's what I think. What do you think? Agree? Disagree?

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The effective use of Facebook as a marketing tool can add substantially to your customer base. The recent IPO (initial public offering) of Facebook stock clearly shows that the public believes in Facebook as an effective marketing and revenue generating tool. To be successful; however, you need to know how to bring the different facets of Facebook together into a winning package.Facebook knows that more than 8 million people a day click to become fans of pages. By becoming a fan, Facebook users are able to follow their favorite celebrities, find out the latest news on issues they care about, and learn of special deals or coupons associated with products they regularly use. In addition, Facebook users become fans of pages that are introducing them to new ideas and products. Using Facebook fan pages is an effective way to develop and keep customers/followers.Facebook provides organizations and business owners with a plethora of instruction pages to help them get started. There are also numerous tools that Facebook itself has developed to help build fan bases both on and off the Facebook website. Fan Box is a new tool that’s been recently launched. It’s a social-widget that Facebook Page owners can place on their own website that enables and encourages those who visit the website to become a fan of the accompanying Facebook Fan-Page. They can even set up their website to bring over Facebook content and vice versa. This helps the company or organization bring site visitors who land on their webpage to their Facebook page. They can also view a roster of other Facebook Fans. This roster highlights and mutual friends that they have who have also become fans of that particular product or personality Of primary importance, however, is that this can all be done without leaving the website, i.e. It can be done without the person having to go to Facebook itself. Of course, the people can also go directly to the Facebook page to become a Fan. The point here is that Facebook has created several tools that allow the organization, business or personality to gain a large number of Fans seamlessly.One of the first things that should be done to add Facebook fans is to go to the Facebook social plugins page. Once there follow the directions for adding a Like Box to your page. There are other social plugins as well that will be useful in developing a large fan base. One of the most effective can be changing the URL for your fan page. For instructions on how to do this, go to shoutmeloud.comAnother tip is to remove any streaming and header because they add tie when a person is loading your page. It is important for a page to load as fast as possible in order that the person doesn’t become frustrated and navigate to another web page. Many people like to add the photo people use for their Facebook account to their web pages. This is a very nice tough because your fans will know that you care about them and that others will see their picture on your website.The important thing, however, is to just get started. Social networking through Facebook is a very powerful and effective method of marketing. If you desire growth, whether as an organization, business or celebrity, using Facebook’s Fan Pages is the first place to go.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

KXAN News recently reported that an apartment complex in north Austin was anti-American. Yes, you read that right. An American company doing business inside American borders is anti-American. Here are the details.

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Richard Old is a self-proclaimed patriot and son of a veteran. Proud of his country, he put up an American flag on his apartment's patio four months ago.

"When it flaps over the pole, I immediately come untangle it," said Old. "I definitely keep it looking good, proud, like it should be."

Last Thursday, Old received a note from the property manager at the Barrington at Park Place apartments, telling him he needed to remove his flag in an attempt to make the complex appear more uniform.

"Flying the American flag should not be against any policies," Old added.

Apartment managers told KXAN their policies do not restrict American flags, but any flag or patio decoration that does not lend itself to the complex's decor and atmosphere.

The property manager provided KXAN with the resident handbook and points to the page referring to balconies, patios and ground. That section says, "Please do not obstruct any sidewalks, step or stairs. Your awareness of the condition of your balcony, patio, windows, and utility room doors should be consistent with the decor and atmosphere of your community and will help maintain an attractive appearance. We do not allow any other window covering except for the ones that we provide."- KXAN News

Let's see take the American flag down, because it does not make the complex uniform. While other tenants have things drying over the balcony railing (as seen in the video) and stuff stored on the balcony/patio. Tell me what about an American flag is unattractive? Just admit it, you all are communists. This is America and if a tenant or property owner wants to display the flag on their personal patio, then let them. If nothing can be hung what so ever, then all the hanging pots and wind-chimes would have to come down to. Both of which I have at the apartment complex I reside in.

Monday, May 21, 2012

The government has come forward with advice for civilians on how to properly prepare themselves in advance of the storm’s onset (it is set to hit cities such as New York this weekend). It is easy to get lost in the headache-inducing media hype, but it is also important to keep the situation in perspective.

As the Saffir/Simpson scale goes, which ranks hurricanes, says the following constitutes the category 3 storm that is Hurricane Irene: “111-130 mph winds; 9-12 foot swells; some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings, with a minor amount of curtain wall failures. Mobile homes are destroyed. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by floating debris. Terrain may be flooded well inland.”Emergency orders have been issued by various government officials at various levels of office.. Elsewhere, residents have been advised to stock up on what would be three days worth of food, water and medical supplies to enable themselves and their families to function throughout the hurricane, should it be as strong as predicted.The CEO of the Florida-based company Credit-Land.com, Roman Shteyn, said this about the coming event in a press release: “Floridians are no strangers to hurricanes and tropical storms. Having survived countless experiences of this nature has made us experts at preparedness. Purchasing enough food and supplies for you and your family before the storm hits is essential. Credit-Land.com has contacted banks throughout the region and, based upon their advice, prepared a list of the 5 best rewards credit cards to use while stocking up on what you will need to weather Irene.”These were the cards he named as the best to use in a hurricane :- The Citi Dividend World MasterCard,- The Discover More Discover Card,- The American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card,- The Capital One No Hassle Cash Rewards Credit Card- The HSBC Bank Nevada Household Bank Rewards MasterCardLastly, Shtyen, a veteran of such brutal weather advised anyone deeply concerned that “the important thing is to stay calm, pay attention to your local news channel for information and instructions and make sure you visit the stores early to pick up everything you and your family will need.”---go ahead share your thoughts with me now, my ears are open. I'm always eager to hear what you think.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Real estate is getting better and better even though there is economic instability. When purchasing real estate the developer has to give the buyer an insight of what they would be receiving for their investment. Because of the recession that hit the economy, businesses reached out to lenders to keep the operations of their businesses afloat. They were so in need of obtaining a temporary cash flow. Most companies paid higher interest rates to receive money as there was no assurance of economic revival. Lending companies started to emerge as a good source of funds. But for real estate developers, it gave them a better chance to grow the value of their properties. Many people lost their homes during the recession which also diminished the value. It was easier for developers to buy those properties at a lower price. If they did not have the sufficient funds for the developing aside from obtaining properties they would lend the money, most would use an bridging finance company to help them improve the value of those properties.When the economy started to improve, developers were ready to sell their new, well-developed properties at a good price. Most people felt that if they didn't purchase a property at that time, the price might rapidly increase in the years to come, which would make them unaffordable. Real estate developers were able to pay their loans and gain more profit at the same time.From then on, bridging loans have become more popular not just for those who are desperately in need of money, but also for those who wish to develop properties for a better deal.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Last Thursday (May 10, 0212) my wife had the chance to attend a screening of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel also known as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and beautiful. The movie which was released to limited theaters in the USA on May 4, 2012 has not officially been released in Austin. Although there has been some free screenings of the film, like the one my wife and I attended. My wife and I entered Regal Cinema - Westgate and found seats near the front and got ready to view this film. Synopsis:

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel follows a group of British retirees who decide to "outsource" their retirement to less expensive and seemingly exotic India. Enticed by advertisements for the newly restored Marigold Hotel and bolstered with visions of a life of leisure, they arrive to find the palace a shell of its former self. Though the new environment is less luxurious than imagined, they are forever transformed by their shared experiences, discovering that life and love can begin again when you let go of the past.- IMBD

The film is was produced by Blueprint Productions and distributed by Fox Searchlight and was directed by John Madden.

My wife had this to say about the movie, it is better for an older audience, and on a scale of one to ten, she says she would give it a seven. She also liked the character of Muriel, her writing a blog from India was a nice touch to the movie. Muriel also had to take a job to help pay for herself living in India.

I have to agree with her Muriel was a great asset to the story, which starts off slow but gets interesting fast. I can't count the number of times I laughed through out this great comedy. Whether it was Muriel's character, the one married couple Douglas and Jean, the retired judge who also was the movies token homosexual, or the racist Marge Hardcastle as we see her character evolve. In fact all the characters were absolutely fantastic. I cannot fault a single actor/actress performance.

Even as changes occur and what seems to be imminent closure of the hotel, the movie both kept us laughing and hungry with anticipation for what would happen next. I gave the move four out of five stars and recommend everyone to see this movie. It is rated PG-13 so as my wife suggested be careful in taking younger individuals to see this movie.

One study by MetLife in 2009 showed that almost 60% of households in America – lots of those with minor children in the family and many close to retirement age – are living paycheck to paycheck. That is, these families depend on each paycheck to pay the expenses that are at hand, without having any financial cushion at all. This is a problem that affects all income levels, as well, since the survey showed that about 30% of individuals earning over $75,000 per year – well over the national income average – still live from paycheck to paycheck.If you're in this vicious cycle that has you missing bills and lying awake at night worrying about things like cash flow and car repairs – not to mention saving for retirement! – it's time to break the cycle. Here's the step-by-step process you can take to stop living paycheck to paycheck:Track Your SpendingIt's important – vital, actually – that you make a budget so you can get out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle. But before you can take that all-important step, you need to actually figure out what you're already spending. Chances are likely that you know your major expenses – insurance, rent or mortgage, car payment, etc. – but you may not have a clue how much you spend on groceries, gas, eating out and other variable expenses. It's time to find out!Action Step: Starting today, track all your expenses for an entire month. Include every single penny that you spend – cash, credit or debit. Once you've tracked a month's expenses, write them down in an organized fashion by category.Make a BudgetOnce you know where your money is going, it's time to create a budget that will tell you where to put your money before you actually spend it. Your goal here is to create a budget where you're spending what you bring in – and only what you bring in! – within a month. Unless you're living at poverty level, that is most likely possible with some self-discipline. If you absolutely can't figure out how to spend what you make or less, it may be time to meet with a financial advisor to determine your next step. Action Step: Create a budget that will allow you to track spending and allocate all your money before it's spent. If you're new to budgeting, programs like You Need a Budget and Mint are great options to help you see where your money is going and to more easily track expenses.Cut Unnecessary ExpensesSome unnecessary expenses are easy to cut out. Sell your car if the payment eats up half your paycheck, and stop eating out all the time if you can't afford it. Other expenses will take time to cut back on. If you spend $600 on groceries last month, don't budget for $300 next month. With couponing and creativity and learning, you may be able to get your grocery spending down to $300 a month, but expecting it to automatically get there in a matter of a month is unrealistic. Trimming expenses can take time, learning, and planning, and you'll get better at it as you go.Action Step: Find at least one or two places in your budget where you could trim your spending – even if you're already living within your means. Work to cut a little bit from your budget each month for the next few months until you find a good balance where you're spending less than you make but also enjoying life a little.Build an Emergency FundOne of the primary ways that people get into a paycheck-to-paycheck cycle is by spending any reserve they have on emergencies, or by relying on credit to cover emergencies. Having an emergency fund of just $1,000 can make a huge difference, because you won't have to go into debt – and take on more monthly payments – every time something breaks down or another type of emergency arises.Action Step: Take that extra money you're trimming from your budget, and put it in an emergency fund. Don't link your emergency fund account with your checking account, or you'll be tempted to transfer it over to your spending money every time a minor emergency arises. Only use this money when you absolutely must, and then replenish it as soon as possible.Reduce Your Credit UsageYou don't have to completely cut credit out of your life if you want to stop living paycheck to paycheck, but you should reduce your use of credit. If you're dealing with high credit-card payments that are stealing too much of your paycheck and going nowhere, consider transferring your balances to low-interest credit cards. Visit our updated comparison chart at http://www.creditdonkey.com/low-interest.html. This can lower your monthly payment and free up some cash for other things – like your emergency fund. Also, start being disciplined about when and where you use credit, since overspending and relying on credit is probably one of the things that got you in this mess in the first place.Action Step: Make a plan for your credit cards. Pay down the highest-interest, highest-balance cards, or look into balance transfers. Then, determine ahead of time when you'll use credit. The goal is to use credit for major purchases where you need to spread out the cost a little, or to use rewards cards for everyday purchases that you pay back immediately in order to avoid paying interest charges.Live on Last Month's PaycheckAs you're budgeting, cutting expenses, and being wiser with using credit, your goal is now to start living on last month's paycheck. Basically, you horde a month's worth of living expenses in your checking account, and then start to live on what's already in there, rather than spending directly out of your paycheck as it comes in.For instance, let's say you need, at bare minimum, $3,500 to meet your monthly expenses. In April, May, June and July, you successfully slash your expenses and save $875 each month. By the end of July, you have enough money saved up to pay for everything that you'll spend in August, as long as you only budget for minimum expenses in August. (Note: This may mean totally cutting out extra expenses like eating out for a month, but it will be worthwhile!) Now, you can sit down at the beginning and middle of the month in August and pay all your bills without having to worry if you're going to overdraft your checking account because you know that every dollar you've budgeted for in August is already there! Then, let's say in August your paychecks total $4,000. Now you can create your budget for September with an extra $500 for whatever – whether that's retirement savings, paying off debt, extra spending money or a combination of the three. In September, you spend August's money, and in October, you budget out of whatever you actually made in September.Living on last month's income is particularly helpful if you have a variable income, like if your job involves contract work or commission. You'll always know exactly what you have to spend when you're spending last month's money instead of scrambling to meet this month's expenses with this month's money.Also, living on last month's income is helpful in emergencies. Let's say that in September, you've got a budget made out based on the $4,000 you made in August. But then your car breaks down, and it will take $300 to repair it. Instead of scrambling around to scrape together extra cash or using credit to pay for the problem, what do you do? You pay for the emergency out of the money you're getting in September, and then when you're spending September's money in October, you figure out where to cut back so you can budget – in retrospect – for the car breakdown. Make sense?Living on last month's income is incredibly freeing and is a great way to build financial security!Action Step: Start cutting back on your budget for the next few months until you get to where you can live on last month's income. You'll be amazed at how much peace this alone will bring to your finances! Stay DisciplinedOnce you're living on last month's income and have an emergency fund saved up for the big emergencies, it can be really tempting to start living beyond your means again. You need to stay disciplined, though. Remember that your cushion from the last month and your emergency fund will only stretch so far if you start spending them, and continue living within your means!Action Step: Once you've reached these financial goals, set other goals for yourself, including paying off debt, saving for retirement, putting money away for a child's college education or buying a home. But continue to budget and live off of last month's income so that you remain financially secure for the rest of your life. Daniela Baker at CreditDonkey says breaking the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck can be difficult, and it will take work and discipline. However, if you follow these steps, you'll slowly but surely get your feet under you financially and have some financial cushion, which can translate into more security and better decision-making in the rest of your life.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Yesterday voters in Austin, Texas went to the polls to vote in their city council elections. We had a chance to throw out a couple of the liberals and replace them with some real protectors of liberties. Unfortunately that didn't happen, as all four liberal incumbents won election. Here are the vote counts according to Burnt Orange Report:

MAYOR

.

Lee Leffingwell (Incumbant)

25434

52.77%

.

Brigid Shea

18115

37.58%

.

Clay Dafoe (Liberty Activist)

5307

11.01%

.

TOTAL:

48199

PLACE 2

.

Laura Pressley

(Liberty Protector)

21183

45.08%

.

Mike Martinez

(Incumbant)

26449

56.28%

.

TOTAL:

46992

.

PLACE 5

.

John Duffy

2720

6.10%

.

John Rubine

966

2.17%

.

Bo Prudente

608

1.36%

.

Tina Cannon

4611

10.34%

.

Bill Spelman (Incumbant)

26085

58.49%

.

Dominic Chavez

8647

19.39%

.

David Conley

1549

3.47%

.

TOTAL:

44599

.

.

PLACE 6

.

Sheryl Cole (Incumbant)

32379

71.80%

.

Shaun Ireland

13313

29.52%

.

TOTAL:

45094

Preliminary estimates are that only about 10% of registered voters voted in this election. A record low, according to KVUE News.

Now it is time focus on federal and state elections in Texas. Tomorrow begins early voting for those and the actual election is Tuesday May 29, 2012. This will include the Presidential preference primary. ---------- My name is Kevin, and that's what I think. What do you think? Agree? Disagree?

Saturday, May 12, 2012

I have been making an effort to eat more healthy of late. That means fewer soda pops and ensuring I get more of the 90 essential vitamins and minerals that my body needs. The majority of of us are vitamin deficient and have poisoned our bodies with chemicals that make us feel tired and weak. Not to mention causes most of the diseases that kills us. So in an effort to end the nutritional drought in my own body I have begun drinking Beyond Tangy Tangerine on a daily basis. In addition to help in the detoxifying of my body I recommend using the following recipe.

Friday, May 11, 2012

April was another busy month; sorry that this email is coming out a little late! Our website is a little messed up right now as it's been moved off of Casa Shalom's website, so please update your bookmarks to www.PottersHome.org. Hopefully I'll be able to soon resolve the problems that it's having.

It's great having Benjamin and Elias here with us, and we're growing closer and closer together as a family. There's certainly a transitional phase for both them as Casa Shalom has been their home since they were both young kids, and they're accustomed to being surrounded by the other kids. So it's a big change to be in a much smaller family now. And it's been a change for Yuliza and I to have them here in our house all the time and to have the larger responsibility of planning and providing for them. But it's so exciting to be growing together! I have great memories as a child eating dinner together with my family and talking about each of our days. Eating together while we discuss our days, hopes and plans for the future has now become my favorite time that we spend with the guys. We've also been studying the book of John together, and it has created many deep discussions. My prayer is that their relationships with our Heavenly Father will continue to mature in knowledge and depth of insight.

The construction on the house continue to steadily advance, and I've put a video of the progress on our website.

During my first trip to Guatemala I stayed with the Allan family and helped with their ministry Hearts for the Children. I watched the way this family from Canada interacted with the Guatemalans, and I was impacted by the way they tried to live as close to the Guatemalans as possible. Their example brought to life what the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23:

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV)

My hope and prayer is that we would also model these verses in our own lives and in order break down the cultural and social borders that exist so that Christ may be glorified through us.

Prayer Requests for May:

Benjamin & Elias: Pray that they continue to grow in their relationship with God as they grow in their professional lives.

Traveling to Texas: At the end of this month Yuli and I are going to visit our church and friends in Austin. We're so excited about this opportunity to visit so many people that we dearly miss, and we would appreciate the prayers for our trip, that it would be a great chance to reconnect with many friends and supporters.

Please pray 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 for us: to the fatherless and motherless, we pray that we may be a father and mother, to win as many as possible.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support for our ministry. We are incredibly grateful! We pray for all of you, so we'd love to hear from each of you about specific things that we can be praying for.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Capitol Visitors Center is located at 112 East 11th Street (southeast corner of the Capitol grounds) in the restored 1856-57 General Land Office building. The three-story castle-like structure reflects the mid-19th century mock-medieval revival architectural style and is the oldest state office building in Texas.

Handicapped Accessibility:
The building is handicapped accessible, but you have to go around to the back in order to access the building. There is no signage designating this until you actually arrive at the entrance you are to use.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

After months of pro-life protests and opposition, PepsiCo has indicated it will alter its contract with biotech firm Senomyx Inc., which uses cells from a baby killed in an abortion to conduct flavor testing.

The second-largest beverage company in the world contracted with the firm in a $30 million deal in August 2010 and once Debi Vinnedge of the pro-life group Children of God for Life uncovered the connection, numerous pro-life groups, including LifeNews, joined together to promote a boycott of Pepsi until it ends the Senomyx contract.- LifeNews

This is great news. It means that Pepsico, it's subsidiaries and 3rd party contracts will be prohibitted to do any kind of testing of their products using HEK cells or any other tissues or cell lines derived from human embryos or fetuses.

In a letter to her group, PepsiCo’s VP of Global Public Policy, Paul Boykas stated that “Senomyx will not use HEK cells or any other tissues or cell lines derived from human embryos or fetuses for research performed on behalf of PepsiCo.”- LifeNews

Both Senomyx and PepsiCo have agreed to not use cell lines derived from human embryos or unborn babies, the result of a "David versus Goliath" campaign -- a small pro-life ministry against a large corporation.- OneNewsNow

PepsiCo did not immediately respond to an email from The Washington Times on whether it had recently changed its relationship with Senomyx or altered the wording or the interpretation of its Responsible Research Statement.- Bloomberg BusinessWeek

So did they or didn't they. Sounds like an unrepentent sinner telling confessing to a sin then turning around and denying it in the next breath.

PepsiCo subsidiaries include: Pepsi, Tropicana and Frito Lay---------- My name is Kevin, and that's what I think. What do you think? Agree? Disagree?

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

You know by now that paying with cash is almost always a better proposition than buying with credit cards. Credit cards can cost you significant amounts of interest charges, to say nothing of potential late fees if you should miss a payment. Some consumers believe that simply paying off their credit cards each month is enough, that avoiding interest and fees levels the playing field. According to some recent studies published by Promothesh Chatterjee and Randall Rose, professors at the University of Kansas and University of South Carolina, respectively, that may not actually be the case.The researchers studied consumers in the context of a phenomenon known as the “pain of payment.” The idea behind the pain of payment isn’t new; at its most basic, it’s the idea that spending money engenders an emotional response, and that response contributes to buying decisions.What they discovered was that cash customers were much more familiar with the pain of payment than credit card customers. Because credit card purchases actually divorce the consumption of a product or service with its payment, credit card customers made different purchase decisions.Here are some of the specific findings from the research:

When tested after the fact, credit card customers were more focused on benefits. They responded quicker to benefit-related words; they were more likely to choose products with superior benefits over products with a better price.

Cash customers, on the other hand, were more focused on cost. They responded quicker to cost-related words. They were more likely to choose products based on costs. They also considered a wider range of cost factors than credit card customers; for example, they looked at the cost of delivery or installation, warranty charges, and even the cost (in time) that it would take for delivery of the product.

Cash customers chose products based on cost. They were more likely to choose a lower-priced product, even when faced with a product with far superior benefits.

Credit card customers, on the other hand, made more benefit related choices. They were more likely to be indulgent. They more often chose high-image products, even when lower-cost products were available.

A number of factors can trigger a credit card purchase. Even if you plan on paying with cash, there are things that can convince you to use a credit card to make a purchase. The presence of a credit card sticker on the entrance doors, or even a sign at the register can increase your likelihood of using credit.

Customers using gift cards acted like customers using credit cards. This goes to the “pain of payment” theory. With a gift card, like cash, value decreases immediately. Unlike cash, however, it’s not usually immediately observed. What all this means for you is this: making cash purchases means you’re more likely to choose lower-cost items. In many of your day-to-day purchases, using cash can save you money in this regard. For those items where quality is your main concern, it’s probably best to switch out for a credit card instead.

David Rodwell is a seasoned writer in business and personal finance, taking a particular interest in payment processing. You can find more of his articles located at CreditCardProcessing.net.

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